When Josh Jacobs takes his first NFL carry, he begins a journey. The Oakland Raiders possess a varied and intriguing history of running backs. With history at his back, Jacobs will start 2019 as the unquestioned starting running back. In him, the Raiders envision a bellcow that Jon Gruden prefers. Yet, with a decent season, Jacobs could actually cement himself in team lore.
15
During the illustrious history, the Raiders only boast fifteen 1,000 yards seasons. If Josh Jacobs rushes for 1081 yards, he will place ninth on the single-season list. Think about that. With just an average year, Jacobs would surpass Marcus Allen’s first thousand yard effort in 1983. You’d think a team would boast more prolific ground game. If you believe Jon Gruden’s quote, count on Jacobs getting a serious chance to break into the Top 10.
“He’s physical, he’s dynamic,” Gruden said, “he’s a great story indeed. Where this kid has come from. There is something inside of him that I didn’t go through as a young man, and I think he’s going to be a centerpiece at some point. I’m not going to put any pressure on him, he’s got a lot to learn. But we do have a good offensive line, we’ve got an experienced quarterback in our system now, we’ve got a couple of receivers that if you want to double them, perhaps this running back can do some damage. So we’re excited at this addition to our team.”
5.8
With a minimum of 150 carries, Napoleon Kaufman holds this distinction. Now, that number could sit a bit too far out of reach for Jacobs. Yet, anything over 4.5 yards a carry would maximize the carries. Part of that depends on Jacobs. The other relies on the revamped offensive line,
Josh Jacobs brings the ability to transform the Oakland Raiders. Granted, he’s not Marshawn Lynch. However, with more tread on the tires, the team will benefit from his carries. If used properly, with sound blocking, Josh Jacobs could give the Raiders faithful another fantastic rusher.
